Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BEIJING4219
2006-03-07 11:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:  

PRC/IRAN: VFM LU GUOZENG STRESSES COMMITMENT TO

Tags:  PREL PARM KNNP IR EU AORC CH 
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VZCZCXRO0704
OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHMOS
DE RUEHBJ #4219/01 0661156
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 071156Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9539
INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 004219 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP IR EU AORC CH
SUBJECT: PRC/IRAN: VFM LU GUOZENG STRESSES COMMITMENT TO
PREVENTING IRAN FROM GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS; URGES
PATIENCE

REF: (A) BEIJING 04023 (B) BEIJING 04024

Classified By: Charge d'Affairs David Sedney. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 004219

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2016
TAGS: PREL PARM KNNP IR EU AORC CH
SUBJECT: PRC/IRAN: VFM LU GUOZENG STRESSES COMMITMENT TO
PREVENTING IRAN FROM GETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONS; URGES
PATIENCE

REF: (A) BEIJING 04023 (B) BEIJING 04024

Classified By: Charge d'Affairs David Sedney. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).


1. (C) Summary. China shares the international community's
common goal of ensuring that Iran does not get nuclear
weapons, Vice Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng stated. In a March
7 meeting with the CDA, Lu said he told Iranian officials
during his late February trip to Iran that the "world does
not trust" Iran and called on Tehran to immediately suspend
uranium enrichment activities. Lu stopped in the United Arab
Emirates and Jordan, where officials told him they too
support using diplomatic means to ensure that Iran does not
get nuclear weapons. The PRC hopes the United States will
exercise patience and prudence following the IAEA Board of
Governors meeting and not push for immediate substantive
intervention by the UNSC on the Iran issue. The international
community should give the Iran-Russia negotiations more time.
The CDA supported UNSC involvement not as the end of
diplomatic work but rather the beginning of another,
results-oriented, stage of diplomacy. End Summary.

Ensuring Iran Does Not Get Nuclear Weapons
--------------


2. (C) VFM Lu Guozeng forcefully stated that China shares the
United States' and the international community's common goal
that Iran not get nuclear weapons. Iran should fulfill its
NPT obligations. Following his February 24-26 trip to
Tehran, he visited the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Lu
said that the Foreign Ministers of these countries stressed
their opposition to Iran's acquiring nuclear weapons, at the
same time they insisted the issue be resolved through
diplomatic means in order not to further complicate the
regional situation. Any other approach would produce results
the international community and Iran's neighbors do not want.
This would not be in the U.S. interest, Lu said.

No One Trusts Iran
--------------


3. (C) VFM Lu said that in his meetings with Iranian

President Ahmadinejad, Secretary General of the Iranian
Supreme Security Council Ali Larijani and Vice Foreign
Minister Safari, he told them that the "world does not trust"
Iran and called for Iran to immediately return to the
moratorium on uranium enrichment. To build international
confidence, Iran must also fulfill its NPT commitments and
cooperate with the IAEA, he said he told the Iranians.

Concern Over Iran's Internal Politics
--------------

4. (C) Lu gave his view that internal politics in Iran
prevents Tehran from taking positive steps toward resolving
the nuclear impasse. Religious and sectarian politics are
influencing Iran's approach to negotiations. Lu said that
the more pressure exerted from outside Iran to comply with
IAEA demands, the greater the pressure from inside Iran to
resist. The CDA said it is a mistake to assume that under
all circumstances outside pressure on Iran will be
counterproductive. Iran's leaders must consider the overall
national interests of Iran.

Exercise Patience
--------------

5. (C) VFM Lu said China values its cooperation with the
United States on Iran. The PRC hopes the United States will
exercise patience and prudence following the IAEA Board of
Governors meeting and not push for immediate, substantive
intervention by the UNSC on the Iran issue. While Iran has
not taken steps to rebuild international trust, it has not
"closed the door" on negotiations. Beijing is optimistic
that Iran and Russia will be able to negotiate an enrichment
processing deal, noting that Iran is taking a more flexible
position with Russian officials than prior to the February 4
BOG resolution. These negotiations, along with Iran's talks
with EU-3, should be given more time. The CDA stressed that
we need to see results, Iran should not be allowed to use
delay as a cover for advancing its nuclear weapons program.

Differences on Utility of Further Negotiations
-------------- -

6. (C) Lu insisted that the fact that negotiations are
ongoing and that the international community is very involved
in the issue is a sign that this diplomatic approach is
working. The CDA responded that we have not detected any
progress or change in Iran's position. We all want Iran not
to have nuclear weapons. We all want diplomacy to succeed.
The question is how to get the Iranians to stop. UNSC
involvement signals greater international weight on the issue
and gives us additional tools to use in discussions. This is

BEIJING 00004219 002 OF 002


not the end of diplomatic negotiations but rather the
beginning of another, more results-oriented, stage of
diplomacy.
Lu said he told Iranian officials that the "world does not
trust" Iran and called on them to immediately suspend uranium
enrichment activities.
Sedney